The present invention relates generally to an electrical connection assembly and, more particularly, to such an assembly wherein a flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to a planar wiring pattern element such as a printed circuit board.
The use of flexible printed circuits has become quite widespread because of their low cost, ease of assembly in interconnection systems, and the low volumes which they occupy in the systems. Various means have been utilized for connecting the flexible printed circuits to like circuits, or to rigid circuits such as printed circuit boards. Typically such connecting means employ intermediate conducting contact elements between the conductive strips on the flexible printed circuit and the element to which it is connected. In order to decrease costs and the handling of extra components, it would be desirable to avoid the use of the intermediate conducting contact elements.
Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,900,242 to Maheux et al. which discloses one approach for providing an electrical connection between a pair of flexible printed circuits without the use of intermediate conducting contact elements. In the Maheux et al. patent, there is disclosed a pair of flexible printed circuits clamped between two members having opposed surfaces. The surface of one member is slightly out of parallelism with the surface of the other member. Pins project slightly through the surface of the one member, a pin for each pair of opposed conductors of the flexible printed circuits. As the clamping members are moved into final clamping relationship, the one member distorts and the pins are given a small swinging movement normal to the planes of the conductors. This clamping movement causes a wiping action to be produced at the point of contact between the conductors on the flexible circuits. Such wiping action does not produce as high a localized contact force between the conductors on the circuits as is required for numerous applications. Further, the use of a movable clamping member with projecting pins thereon to produce the wiping action between the conductors of the flexible printed circuits adds to the cost of the connection assembly.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an improved, low cost connection arrangement for a flexible printed circuit and a printed circuit board or like planar wiring pattern element, which does not require the use of intermediate conducting contact elements.